


Ye mighty, and despair

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21733252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: This isn’t how it works. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. This is wrong.For many, Hogwarts is a haven. For Marisa, not so much.
Relationships: Lord Asriel/Marisa Coulter, Regulus Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. First things first

**Author's Note:**

> This story mostly follows canon, bar one small difference: Regulus Black survives the war. He gets married and has a child (Marisa). This story will be mostly linear, with the occasional non-linear chapter.  
> Comments are very much appreciated.  
> Title is from ‘Ozymandias’, by Percy Bysshe Shelley.  
> Enjoy!

Where’s he meant to go? Fair enough that his mother is busy at the Ministry, but she didn’t even bother to give them directions. ‘Somewhere around platforms 9 and 10’ is hardly helpful. _Honestly_.

Asriel hurries after his (Muggle) father, who has continued walking without him. Maybe they should look for someone to help. Just as he comes to his conclusion, he notices someone with an owl and a suitcase just like his. She’s probably going to Hogwarts-why not ask her where to go?

He drags his father towards the girl and taps her on the shoulder gingerly. She turns around sharply, and stares at him.

”Yes? What do you want?” she says.

”Um, well...” he begins.

”Just get on with it.”

“I w-was wondering, um, if you knew where Platform 9 3/4 was...”

The man next to her interrupts. “Of course she does. Marisa, do you want to show this boy the barrier?”

Marisa scowls, but leads him to the barrier anyway. With a malicious grin, she shoves him into the wall, and-

He is hit by a wall of noise. This an entirely different world-a world of wonders, a world of _magic_. Asriel gasps, and tries to comprehend what he is seeing. It’s the Hogwarts Express. His father and the family from earlier appear behind him, but he barely notices, too absorbed by the wonders of the station. It’s far better than he’d ever imagined.

”Are you a Muggle-born, or just really dumb?” the girl from earlier asks.

”That’s a little rude, Marisa. Not everyone’s as incredibly intelligent as we are,” says the boy she is with. “I’m Theodore, by the way. Theodore Nott. Nice to meet you.”

Asriel grins. This boy seems cool. “I’m Asriel, I’m a half-blood. My dad’s a Muggle and I’ve never been here before, so I got kind of lost.”

”Fair enough. We should probably get on the train, it’ll be off soon.”

Asriel hugs his father goodbye, and Theo and Marisa wave off their guardian.

”That’s my father, in case you’re completely oblivious,” mutters Marisa.

”Goodbye, Marisa,” her father replies. “I’m so sorry you had to meet Theo and my daughter. They can be _very_ obnoxious at times.”

Asriel gets on the train before anyone else tries to insult him.


	2. How time flies

He slumps into one of the empty carriages, hardly noticing that Marisa and Theo have followed him. Asriel sighs; carrying his suitcase down the train was surprisingly difficult. Still, it’s over now. He can relax.

”Have you got any games, Marisa?” Theo says, and Marisa grins.

”Of course I have. Why don’t we invite Asriel as well? We could play Exploding Snap.”

Asriel glares at them, but joins the game anyway. It’ll be a long journey otherwise.   
  


* * *

He’s an interesting boy, Theo thinks. Not a pureblood, sadly, but at least he’s not a _Muggle-born_. Theo quickly loses track of time, playing game after game of Exploding Snap. He wishes the sweets trolley would turn up, because Marisa is half-asleep. When she loses snap for the third time in a row, Theo decides to start a discussion.

”So, what house do you want to be in?” he asks tentatively, somewhat lacking his usual confidence.

”Maybe Ravenclaw, or-” begins Asriel, but before he can finish the sweets trolley turns up. Marisa looks far more alert than five minutes ago, probably excited by the prospect of sugar. Theo snorts-how typical of her.

* * *

Marisa opens the first chocolate frog and bites off its head before it can get any further. Asriel winces a little at the squirming frog, but doesn’t comment. Theo is fully used to her antics, and continues to chew on a liquorice wand, much to Marisa’s distaste (liquorice is disgusting and she’ll never eat that hellish food). Idiot boy.

She wonders if either of them truly understand who her family is-and if they would be scared if they knew who she was. 

* * *

They are nearing the station, the three of them having changed into their Hogwarts robes a while ago, when somebody else finally walks in. She’s some bore of a human called Hermione Granger, who only came to talk to them because ‘you look a bit lonely, don’t you?’ and to see if they knew where ‘poor Neville’s toad is-I’m sorry to interrupt, but he’s really upset about it and _somebody_ ought to help’.  
  


By this point Theo looks thoroughly put out, so he tries to gently lead Hermione out the room. Marisa quietly suggests they lock the door afterwards, and nobody bothers them for the rest of the journey.   
  



	3. Unfortunate surprises

Theo nearly falls out his boat. If anyone asks, this is Marisa’s fault. If he’s being honest, it is merely clumsiness. By the time they reach the other side of the lake, and stumble back onto solid ground, Theo is shivering with cold. He follows the rest of his year towards the castle, and curses his lack of balance silently. Marisa tells him to shut up when his teeth start chattering, and he is relieved when they reach Hogwarts.

* * *

Asriel stares at the room he is in, fascinated by the lavish decorations covering the walls and the ghosts drifting in and out. Despite his magical upbringing, he’s not been to many magical places. He’s certainly never seen _ghosts_ before. He hardly has the time to observe the room before McGonagall is leading them into a waiting room, ready to be Sorted.

”So. What house’re you going to be in, Theo?” asks Asriel quietly.

That’s an easy question. “Slytherin, of course. What about you?”

”I don’t know. Ravenclaw, or maybe Slytherin like you. Yes, I am aware that I’m not a pureblood. I’ve heard that before. My mother was a half-blood, and she was a Slytherin.”

”And you, Marisa?”

”Well, unless I want to be disowned, probably Slytherin,” she responds.

”Regulus wouldn’t disown you,” Theo says.

”I don’t know, Theo. You can never be sure about my father.”

* * *

Theo is in Slytherin, unsurprisingly.

”Belacqua, Asriel!”

Right. Time to be Sorted.

He sits down on the stool nervously, and pulls the Sorting Hat over his head.

 _Hello, Mr Belacqua._ Um, hi? _Now, let’s see. Which house would suit you best? Brave enough for Gryffindor, smart enough for Ravenclaw, and ambitious enough for Slytherin._ To be honest, I’d like to be with Theo. I don't really care what house I’m in. _Interesting. You would certainly make a good Slytherin.Well then, Slytherin it is._

“SLYTHERIN!”

* * *

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley are Sorted into Gryffindor fairly quickly. Several more students pass, and at some point there is a longer Sorting than most of the rest, but then it is Marisa’s turn all of a sudden.

”Black, Marisa!”

She’s sitting down and putting on the Sorting Hat, curious as to what will happen. How does the Hat work?

_Interesting._

Marisa jumps at the sound of the Hat speaking.

 _I’m not meant to be **scary**. _Sorry. _Oh, no, it’s fine. A lot of people jump when they’re Sorted._ I’m not a coward. Blacks aren’t frightened by magic fabric. _I don’t know about that. Your uncle certainly looked scared._ Are you implying that I have something in common with _mass murderer_? _Of course not, Miss Black. Now, shall we continue with Sorting you?_

Fine. _Well, I see a variety of qualities in you. Cunning and ambition, certainly. Pride, or even arrogance. You are hardly lacking in recklessness._ Don’t say that. You make me sound like a Gryffindor. _You would make an_ ** _excellent_** _Gryffindor._ No I wouldn’t. _Few Slytherins ever dared confront me, but many a Gryffindor has challenged me._ What if I don’t _want_ to be a Gryffindor? _My job is to Sort you as best as possible, Miss Black._ Put me in Slytherin. _You are a Gryffindor through and through, whether you like it or not. Thank you, Miss Black. I hope to see you again._ I don’t. _Charming._ Well, are you going to Sort me or not? _I am just making my final decision. By the way, you’re a Hatstall._ What-

“GRYFFINDOR!”

”No, you _can’t_! You’re kidding me, right?”

”The Hat has made its choice, Miss Black. Go to your table, please,” one of the teachers says (she doesn’t know who). Marisa sits down at her table sourly and searches the hall for her friends. She barely notices Dumbledore beginning to talk.

Somewhere on the teachers’ table, both McGonagall and Snape groan on frustration.


	4. Boggarts

Dear Theo,

How are you doing? Marisa tells me you are fine, but she has been out of sorts recently and I thought it best to talk to you. Do you know why she’s so angry?

From Regulus.

* * *

Regulus Black has never liked boggarts. Frankly, they’re terrifying. He’d rather fight _Voldemort_ than a boggart. Unfortunately, Grimmauld Place is full of boggarts and other strange animals he’s never managed to clear out.

He’s facing yet another boggart that has snuck into Grimmauld Place, debating whether he should just leave it. In the end his pride wins out and he opens the cupboard nervously. Predictably, the boggart turns into a basin full of emerald potion with a chalice next to it.

He’s shaking already and barely manages to gasp out “Riddikulus!” before he’s dropping his wand in fear. The boggart flips over and the potion in it spills out across the floor. Regulus shoves the boggart back into the cabinet and curses his inability to face his fears. He picks his wand off the floor and wipes a sleeve across his face. He’ll have to try again later.

* * *

Dear Regulus,

Would you disown a family member if they were in a house other than Slytherin?

From Theo.

* * *

Theo, 

No, of course not. Why do you ask?

Regulus.

* * *

Regulus,

Marisa was Sorted into Gryffindor.

Theo.

* * *

Dear Marisa,

No, you are not disowned. I am not like my mother.

Love, your father.

* * *

Dad,

Thank God. But I feel stupid for doubting you. Sorry...

Love, Marisa.

P.S. Don’t you dare use this as blackmail.

* * *

Regulus grins at the last letter, happy that Marisa is back to her usual self.


	5. Shocks and scares

It is their first Potions lesson, and Theo thinks that between Draco, Marisa and Potter, something is likely to get blown up. Or someone. Theo hopes it’s not him.   
True to form, Potter melts a cauldron - or maybe that was Longbottom.

Marisa spends the entire lesson boring holes in Snape’s head with her eyes. If looks could kill, nearly everyone in the room would be dead between her and Snape. She’s waiting for the professor to snap at her, or make some snide comment about her intelligence, but nothing happens. By the end of the lesson she has an at least decent potion. Surprisingly, Snape actually seems to like her a little.

* * *

Theo finds a dead rat in his dorm room, and gets Asriel to throw it out the window because he’s a coward. Malfoy won’t stop laughing at him and is somewhat displeased by the bucket of cold water dumped on his head in the evening.

”You finished in the shower, Malfoy?” Asriel asks when he walks into the dorms drenched and cursing.

”My father will hear about this!” he says bitterly. Asriel laughs at that.   
  
“I’d like to see you try.”

”I-”

”Get lost, Malfoy. Nobody cares.”

They might share a dorm room, but they have no love for each other. Malfoy hisses and stalks out, probably going to talk with Crabbe and Goyle.

“Exploding Snap?” Asriel asks, and Malfoy is forgotten.


	6. Imprints and impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marisa antagonises Professor McGonagall, and attempts to drive her insane.

Today is a funny day.

In Potions, Malfoy trips over Marisa’s trap and nearly breaks his nose. In Herbology, Granger makes a fool of herself trying to outsmart Marisa. Crabbe gets a detention from the librarian and refuses to go near the library ever again (he’ll probably break that promise someday).

But by far the funniest part is when McGonagall sees Marisa’s homework.

”Miss Black, a word after class?” McGonagall asks tersely.

”Of course, Professor,” she says cheerily. There is nothing to worry about.

* * *

”Miss Black, are you aware that you wrote your essay _entirely in French_?”

”No, I can’t say I am,” Marisa says, trying to keep a straight face.

”Ten points from Gryffindor.”

”But I did nothing wrong! At least I actually handed in my homework, unlike Goyle-”

”I spent _five hours_ translating your essay. Give me a reason why I shouldn’t send you to the dungeons sorting ingredients with Professor Snape.”

”...you like me?”

Damn, she has her there.

”You may leave, Miss Black.”

The next seven years are _not_ going to be fun.

* * *

The next week, Marisa handed in her essay in Danish.

”Twenty points from Gryffindor, Miss Black!”

And then Arabic.

And then Russian.

And then Hebrew, with the last paragraph in Mandarin. By Christmas, McGonagall was at the end of her tether, having translated from five different alphabets and nine different languages. Much to her annoyance, Dumbledore found this _hilarious_ and Marisa often found sherbet lemons in her dorm room.

* * *

In the staff room, the subject turns to annoying students, as it always does on Sunday mornings. Shape complained about Harry Potter (predictably) and almost everyone had a story about Fred and George Weasley (also predictably), but McGonagall had another one (surprisingly).

”Miss Black is a creature sent from _hell_. She’s worse than her uncle!” McGonagall hisses.

”Are you sure?” asks Snape. “She was a brilliant student in my class - very well-behaved. Potter was _far_ worse-”

Dumbledore interrupted before he started ranting about the woes of Harry Potter.

”This meeting is adjourned. Teachers, you may leave. Sherbet lemon, anyone?”


End file.
